‘Dooly ID’ passes without issues, exposing blind spot in adult verification of ‘unmanned e-cigarette vending machines’

[Anchor]

Recently, there have been increasing criticisms regarding the lax adult verification methods at unmanned electronic cigarette vending machines, which are leaving teenagers exposed to electronic cigarettes without any protection.

In fact, when our reporters checked some vending machines, they found that adult verification was possible even with fake IDs made from cartoon character images.

This is Lee Yoo-min reporting.

[Report]

In a cram school area in Seoul.

Most of the smokers in the alley are using electronic cigarettes.

[Smoker/voice altered: "This one is strawberry flavor. Many kids smoke electronic cigarettes. It doesn't smell either."]

These are minors.

[High school student/voice altered : "Many people smoke e-cigarettes; it seems like all my friends smoke. (About 5-6 in my class...)"]

The sale of liquid electronic cigarettes is prohibited to minors under the Youth Protection Act.

However, the reality is different at unmanned vending machines.

[High school student/voice altered : "(Teenagers) just pick up IDs and buy like this..."]

Our reporters checked it out directly.

We made a fake ID.

We printed a picture of 'Dooly' on paper.

Let's see if this can be used for adult verification.

["Verification successful! Please pay with your credit card."]

Even with an absurd fake ID, the verification went through.

[User of unmanned e-cigarette vending machine/voice altered : "Isn't this (verification machine) just for decoration? It seems like it's just for show. It looks like they just want to sell."]

The adult verification process is so lax because liquid electronic cigarettes are not subject to regulation under the Tobacco Business Act, leaving no basis for related regulations.

The Youth Protection Act only stipulates "age and identity verification," making the adult verification at unmanned vending machines practically useless.

[Park Jeong-hun/National Assembly Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee : "There is no basis for the adult verification methods or technology, and there is no clear government department managing this, so teenagers are exposed to risks without any protection."]

The usage rate of liquid electronic cigarettes among teenagers is increasing every year.

The number of unmanned e-cigarette vending machines, which are exposed without regulation, has also increased fourfold compared to six months ago.

This is KBS News, Lee Yoo-min.